Maytag Dryer Not Heating Repair Guide
Is your Maytag dryer not heating? This Maytag dryer repair guide will walk you
through the steps in repairing your dryer. These are the same steps I take in
repairing appliances professionally. So read each section carefully and your
dryer will be repaired in no time. Maytag made a few different types of dryers
after buying out Amana, Magic Chef and several other companies. On this page I
will be discussing the two most popular styles. Maytag called these styles the
Newton and Herrin. There is no way for you to know what style you have until you
start taking it apart.
VENT
If the vent is stopped up the dryer will sometimes still heat but will take a very long time to dry clothes. One of the signs that the vent is stopped up, is the case of the dryer will get very hot, but the clothes are not dry when dryer stops. Check the vent, it may be clogged, crimped or it just may be too long. As a rule of thumb I like to keep it under 25 feet if possible. Dryer manufactures recommend under 60 feet but every time there is a 90-degree turn, you subtract about 10 feet. So about 25 to 35 feet is all you can do. If your vent is stopped it up can cause many parts to go bad so check your vent after repairing the dryer (no matter what was wrong with the dryer). This not only applies to Maytag dryer repair but any dryer you work on.
HEATING ELEMENT
The heating elements are a common problem with dryers not heating and are an easy do-it-yourself repair. On the Newton style dryers, the heating element is located under the tub on the right in a round heater-can. To access it, first remove the front panel by removing the two screws on each side at the bottom of the front panel or if it’s a newer model, prize the clips under the front panel. Then pull out the bottom of the front panel until the top clips release. On the Herrin style, the heater is located behind the tub at the top. To access the heater, raise the top by inserting a flat screwdriver in between the top and the front panel. This should release the top so that you can lift it up. Once up, you should see the heater at the back. Checking the heating element is the same for both styles. First disconnect power from dryer then unplug the wires going to the heating element. Next using your ohmmeter , check to see if you have continuity between the terminals on the heating element. If you don’t, the heating element is bad and needs replacing, if there is continuity the heating element is ok. Heating elements can be purchased at AppliancePartsPros.com.
HI-LIMIT
The hi-limit is a common problem with dryers not heating and is an easy do-it-yourself repair. The hi-limit is a safety thermostat located on the heater-can. To access the heater-can, follow the instructions in heating element above. To check the hi-limit, first disconnect power from the dryer. Then unplug the wires going to the hi-limit. Next use your ohmmeter to see if you have continuity between the terminals on the hi-limit. If you don’t have continuity, the hi-limit is bad and needs replacing. If you do have continuity the hi-limit is ok. If you find that the hi-limit is bad, check to see if your vent is clogged because this can cause the hi-limit to go bad. Also if you have to replace the hi-limit, replace the thermal fuse as well. Note that some Maytag dryers don’t have a thermal fuse and in this case just replace the hi-limit. This part can be purchased at AppliancePartsPros.com.
MOTOR
The motor has a built in switch that comes on when the motor gets to full speed, turning the heater on. There is no easy or safe way to check this because the motor must be running to check it so I recommend that you do not attempt to check this switch. However, most of the time if this switch is what is causing the dryer not to heat, you can fix it by blowing the motor out with an air compressor or a portable air tank. If you don’t have one you can try a vacuum (the air compressor works better). If this doesn’t work and you still think that this is your problem (I can’t say if it is or not) then replace the motor. Dryer motors can be purchased at AppliancePartsPros.com.
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